John Hickenlooper names Colorado business leaders in his corner

From now to November, candidates for Colorado governor will compare their business credentials to woo voters, and incumbent John Hickenlooper on Tuesday presented 100 names — Democrats, Republicans and the politically unaffiliated — who vouch for him.

"These are all Republicans of good standing, or they used to be, who are picking person over party," Hickenlooper said of his cross-party support.

GOP nominee Bob Beauprez has been calling Hickenlooper's record one of "failed leadership" that has held back the state's economic recovery.

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"There are a lot of businesses in Colorado who feel like John Hickenlooper has forgotten them," Beauprez said in a statement Tuesday, accompanied by statements from several of his business supporters.

"I've been in meetings with business leaders for the past several weeks. Over and over again we've heard job creators say they are blocked from hiring more people because of government regulation and red tape."

Hickenlooper, however, said he has reduced red tape, helped increase access to financial capital and created programs to develop a workforce to attract employers.

"I get out there and try to be the salesperson — the No. 1 salesperson — but we also have a great team," he said.

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He said the state has gained more than 200,000 jobs since he took office in 2010 and has enjoyed 32 consecutive months of job growth. Unemployment has dropped from 9.1 percent in 2010 to 5.5 percent in June.

"We don't see where the governor's been a friend of small business," he said, listing several bills Hickenlooper has signed that NFIB deems as setbacks for businesses.

Hickenlooper's list of business endorsers includes a number of former Beauprez donors, records show.

"In 21 years of doing business in Colorado, I've never come across a more genuine human being or visionary leader than John Hickenlooper," said one of them, Chad McWhinney, co-founder and CEO of McWhinney, the Loveland-based company leading the redevelopment of Denver's Union Station and other major projects in the state.

McWhinney and his brother and company co-founder, Troy McWhinney, are both Republicans and former Beauprez donors. Chad McWhinney called Hickenlooper "one of the finest people I've had the pleasure of working with."

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